CHINA

Scientific instruments maker Thermo Fisher Scientific said it agreed to acquire chromatography systems maker Dionex Corp. for about $2.1 billion to expand in Asia-Pacific regions such as China.

Even as the risk appetite of global investors is picking up steam once again, emerging economies have gone past the U.S. in leading the investment pick-up.

Airbus raised its forecast for aircraft demand over the next 20 years, citing the travel needs of 6 billion people in emerging economies as airlines stage a stronger-than-predicted rebound from recession.

Monetary tightening in China should be gradual as consumer inflation is unlikely to surpass 5 percent in 2011, an adviser to the Chinese central bank said.

U.S. dollar losses deepened on Monday, with traders chalking up the currency's broad decline to a combination of firmer risk appetite, year-end positioning and some concerns about strained U.S. finances.

China is stepping up its efforts to contain inflation, even as the latest economic report indicates that inflation hovers around a 28-year high of 5.1 percent in November.

Wall Street rose modestly on Monday with investor appetite for stocks lifted by a flurry of merger deals and the expected congressional approval of a tax-cut extension.

Stock index futures rose on Monday after China held off on raising interest rates over the weekend despite high inflation pressure.

Airbus raised its 20-year forecasts for aircraft demand and passenger traffic on Monday on the back of a stronger than predicted recovery in airlines powered by emerging markets.

There are many things weakening the single currency. Concerns over a lack of consensus on euro-area bonds, dollar-positive data from the US, fears about China being forced to cool down its economy and now, an ascending channel clearly shaping up on the 60-minute EUR/USD chart.

Stock index futures were higher on Monday after China decided to leave interest rates unchanged.

Lenovo, the world's No. 4 PC maker, expects its operating profit margin to trend upwards, helped by easing component shortages and an appreciating Chinese currency, its CFO said on Monday at the Reuters China Investment Summit.

Asian stocks chalked up modest gains on Monday, buoyed by upbeat U.S. data, while Chinese shares rose nearly 3 percent as investors reacted with relief that Beijing's policy moves to cool inflation did not include an interest rate rise.

Asian stocks chalked up modest gains on Monday, while the benchmark U.S. Treasury yield hit a six-month high in response to upbeat U.S. data, helping shore up the dollar.

Asian stocks rose on Monday as investors took in their stride China's latest attempt to cool inflation and fresh vows to tackle price pressure, while upbeat U.S. economic data helped

Expectations of low U.S. interest rates and one-way bets against the dollar saw it emerge as the new funding currency of choice for FX carry trades, the Bank for International Settlements said in its quarterly review.

China will ratchet up efforts to quell inflation in 2011 while pushing forward economic restructuring to help sustain robust growth, state media said on Sunday after the close of an annual policy-setting conference.

China has stubbornly refused to cede to U.S demands to let the yuan rise against the dollar. The question is, among the US and China who will gain and who will lose if China ever agreed to appreciate its currency?

The electric vehicle battery powered cars will start being competitive with gas-powered ones in about five years, the U.S. energy secretary Steven Chu, said at the annual U.N. climate talks.

China's inflation for November surged to a 28-month high, rising 5.1 percent year-on-year. Moreover, the inflation was driven by China's problem areas.

Delegates at the UN climate change conference in Cancun have agreed on a deal to curb climate change and fund developing countries on Saturday. Bolivia however, raised objections to the proposals drawn up the host Mexico. The draft comes as respite as the last summit in Copenhagen failed to agree on the best way to cut emissions.